Fabric-cutting machine.



N0. 695,)3. Patented Ma r. ll, I902.

J. A. HEANY. FABRIC cunme MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.)

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No. 695,")3. Patented Mar. ll, I902.

J. A. HEANY.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

I (Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 695,l03. h Patented Mar. ll, I902.

J. A. HEANY.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

I (.Qpplicatipn filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet s.

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J. A. HEANY.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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J. A. HEANY.

FABBIG CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) I (No Model.) 6 She'ets-Sheet 6.

gmfim aw/M Minn Frames Earhart rrrca JOHN ALLEN HEANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ADAMS TOP CUTTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF EASTORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FABRIC' CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 695,103, dated March 11, 1902.

Application filed August 22, 1900. Serial No. 27,743. (No model.)

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ALLEN HEANY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia,State of Pen nsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Fabric-Cutting Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates generally to fabric-cutting machinesadapted to sever, for instance, a flat tubular webbing or ribbed fabricinto predetermined lengths for a number of purposes not necessary tomention. It has for its object, among other things, to provide a simpleand inexpensive machine adapted to the purpose, to provide a machinehaving a capacity for a wide range of sizes and kind-of fabric, capableof easy adjustment, automatic in its movements, and efficient and exactin its operations.

To these ends the improvements consist in the novel features andcombinations of parts hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation with aportion of the carrieroperating screw-shaft broken away. Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the cutter end of the machine. Fig. 3 is an enlargedend elevation of a portion of the cutter end of the machine. Fig. 4: isa vertical longitudinal section of the cutter end of the machine. "Fig.5 is an enlarged elevation of the fabric-feeder. Fig. 6 is a plan viewthereof. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.-

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the fabric clamping andfeedingjaw of the feeder. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of one of theclamping and adjacent parts. Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional plan ofthe carrier-operating screw-shaft, clutch-shaft, and connected parts.Fig. 11 is a plan view of one end of the machine, showing thefabric-feeder-stopping devices. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of thefabric-feeder nut and adjacent parts. Fig. 13 is an enlarged sideelevation, partly in sections, of the cutter-elevating device. Fig. 14is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 15 is an end elevation.

Generally considered, the present machine is an improvement on UnitedStates Letters No. 572,094, dated December 1, 1896, and No. 616,280,dated December 20, 1898.

The improved machine consists of a suit able fabric-support, areciprocated carrier or feeder adapted to feed predetermined lengths ofthe fabric over or along said support, a knife or severing device, towhich the fabric is fed by the feeder to be severed into lengths, and aclamp or clamping device arranged on opposite sides of the knife toproperly hold the fabric while being severed.

The machine also includes adjusting de vices by which the stroke of thefabric car rier or feeder may be regulated and determined suited to thelengths into which the fabric is to be severed. It also includes meansby which after a piece of fabric has been cut up into short lengths anda new piece is to be entered into the machine or fed to the carrier thecarrier will automatically move to a predetermined point or to itsextreme rearward position and stop the machine ready to receive the newpiece of fabric, whereupon on again starting the machine the carrierwill act as before to move predetermined distances to feed properlengths of the fabric to the knife.

In operation the movement and action of the parts are so timed that,assuming the carrier has moved to its forward position, having fed asuitable length of fabric to the clamps and knife, the outer clamp iscaused to move to clamp the fabric, preventing its accidental withdrawalor rearward movement on the reverse or rearward movement of the carrier,which immediately thereafter occurs. Upon the initial rearward movementof the carrier the inner clamp is caused to clamp the fabric, which thenis firmly held on opposite sides of the path of movement of the knife,which is thereupon caused to operate to sever a length from the piece offabric. The outer clamp upon the return of the knife is caused torelease its hold on this severed length, which may then drop or be fedfrom the machine, and the inner clamp, just as the movement of thiscarrier is being reversed. to move forward with the fabric, is alsocaused to release its hold on its severed end, whereupon Patent toCharles F. and Henry F. Adams, I in the forward movement of the carriera forther portion of the fabric is fed and presented to the action ofthe clamps and knife and the operations are repeated. The carrier issupported in suitable guideways and reciprocated toward and from theclamps and knife by a suitable right-line movement, operated from acontinuouslyrotated counter-shaft supported on bearings in themachinaframe. The extent of reciprocation of the carrier and its pointsof stoppage are goverhed by suitable stops controlling a carrierreversing mechanism, consisting in the present instance of a clutchinterposed between oppositely-rotated pulleys receiving motion frompulleys on the driving counter-shaft. The stops are connected to operatea clutch-shaft, and one or both of them may be adjusted in position withrespect to the clutch-shaft to determine the extent of reciprocation ofthe carrier and its points of stoppage. With the clutch-shaft andcarrier is arranged a carrierstopping device arranged for hand operationand also for automatic operation by the action of the carrier when nofabric is present or when a further supply of fabric is needed.

The particular means for reciprocating the carrier, as shown, consistsof a screw-shaft rotated in opposite directions by the action of thepulleys and clutch described and with which shaft a nut on the carrierengages.

The nut has a projection which is arranged at or near the end of thecarrier-stroke in each direction to strike the stops of the clutchshaft,and thus shift the clutch. The stop governing the rearward position orlimit of movement of the carrier has a movable portion normally inactive position, and the carrier nut has a pawl normally out of action,I

but which when no fabric is present in the carrier moves into action tomove the movable portion of the said stop out of action, so that in therearmost movement'of the carrier it is not stopped and ceases to bereversed. Subsequentlyjust as the carrier reaches its rearward positionit causes amovement of the stopping device by which the clutch is movedto its mid or idle position between the oppositely rotated pulleys andits further movement ineither direction is stopped.

In the example of the improved mechanism chosen for illustration theoperative parts of the machine are supported by a suitable framework a,carrying a table I), and providing bearings for a counter-shaft 0,having a double-grooved wheel d and a driven pulley 6, receiving motionfrom any suitable source of power. The upper part of the framework hassuitable longitudinally-arranged guides f, in which is supported alongitudinally-reciprocated fabric carrier or feeder g, formed byaskeleton frame providing a forward lower plate or jaw h, with whichcoacts a movable clamp or jaw 2', that is hung loosely on a crossrod j,connected by links it with another crossinto and guided by verticalslots at in the carrier-frame, allowing the movable jaw to have astraight vertical movement to and from the fabric and the lower jaw orplate 7L and also having a free rocking motion independent thereof, sothat its forward end may tilt downwardly to better engage the fabric, asin Fig. 8. The movable jaw is engaged between its two cross-rods by thebifurcated ends of a lever n, pivoted at o in the carrierframe. A fabricpressure-roll p is carried by arms q in rear of the fabric-jaws andpivoted on a cross-rod r in the carrier-frame. Between the lever n andthe pressure-roll arms is interposed a flat spring if, so that when thelever is moved to raise the movable jaw the pressure-roll will also beraised,the said spring taking up any lost motion between the lever andthe arms. The cross-rod 7' has a coiled spring 8, tending to hold-therollp and movable jaw in active position on the fabric, which occupies aposition on the table I) beneath the roll and between the two jaws i andh.

To lessen the friction to the feeding movement over the table I), thereis provided a movable carrier-band 10, stretched around rolls 11 12, oneend of the band being secured to rear of the carrier-frame at 13 and theother end to the lower jaw 71..

The carrier g is connected to an arm u through a screw-bolt e, thatengages a slot to in the carrier-frame for short longitudinal adjustmentof the carrier with respect to the arm. The arm u, at its lower endbeneath the table, is formed with a nut 00, which engages alongitudinally-arranged screw-shaft y, supported in bearings in theframework 0., and by the opposite rotations of which screwshaft thecarrier is reciprocated toward and from the knife and clamps to bedescribed. One end of the screw-shaft supports a pair of loose pulleys5, having belts, one of which is crossed, extending to thedouble-grooved driving-pulley (Z. Between the two loose pulleys worksthe disks of a clutch 1, keyed to the screw-shaft and arranged to engageeither of the pulleys to cause said shafts to be rotated in eitherdirection or to be disengaged from both pulleys to allow the shaft toremain at rest. The clutch is operated through the usual forked arm 2,connected to a clutchshaft 3, that has forward and back stops 4 5, Fig.10, which are arranged to be struck and moved by a lug 6 on the nut ofthe carrierarm at. These stops are adj ustably secured to theclutch-shaft, so that the extent and limits of the reciprocatingmovements of the carrier may be adjusted and determined, I

While any portion of the'fabric is under the control of the carrier andits roll 19 the carrier will be constantly reciprocated, its movementbeing limited by the position of the stops 4 5. As soon, however, as apiece of fabric has been used up or severed into lengths means areprovided by which the carrier instead of being stopped on its rearwardmovement and reversed by contact with the stop 5 it will beautomatically caused to move to its rearmost position and then stop.This is effected by'a movable pawl 8 on the nut of the carrier-arm u,coacting with a movable nose 7 on the end of the stop 5 and operable toescape said nose by the non-presence of a fabric in the carrier, whichcauses the inclined end of the pawl to be depressed in rear of theabutment 6 to meet the under side of the stop-nose 7 to raise it out ofcarrier stoppingandreversingposition. Thescrew-shaft y not beingreversed, the carrier continues its rearward movement until finallystopped; The pawl 8 is attached bya yielding connection 9 to a pivotedarm 14, mounted at one side of the carrier-frame and having a stopscrew15 bearing upon one of the arms q of the roll 19, the end of the armhaving an enlargement to strike and rock a stopping-lever 16, that ishorizontally mounted on a vertical rod 17, supported in the top ofmachine-frame. This stopping-lever is connected beneath the table b witha segment 18, having an eccentric slot on its under side arranged toengage a projection 19 on a rocking disk 20, that is connected by rod 21to the clutch-shaft 3, Fig. 10, and with which segment is connected aspring 22. The fabric being fed forward to the knife occupies a positionunder the roll 19, so that the arm 14 and the pawl 8 are held in theirraised positions, allowing the abutment 6 to strike the stop-nose 7 andcause the stoppage and the reversal of the carrier; but when no fabricis present in the carrier the roll will lower, allowing the arm 14 andpawl 8 to drop, bringing the inclined end of the pawl in position toliftthe nose 7 of the stop 5 and causing the abutment to escape the stop,whereupon the carrier moves to its rearmost position and stops ready foranother piece of fabric to be entered into position.

At the forward end of the machine is mounted a suitable fabric-severingknife 23 and inner and outer clamps 24 25. Theknife 23 is mounted inacarrier reciprocated in a vertical frame 26 by suitable connectionswith a crank-disk 27 on the counter-shaft 0 through a pitman 2S and avertically-reciprocating spring-pressed rod 29, guided in suitablebearings on the machine-frame and a bearing 30 on the knife-carrier.Normally the rod 29 reciprocates independent of the knife, but isarranged to be automatically coupled thereto at the proper moment tocause the severing movement. Thus the knife-carrier bearing 30 has ashort loose pin 31, arranged to be moved at the proper time into a slot32 in the rod 29, and opposite the loose pin 31 is another pin 33,movable in a fixed portion of the framework, that is arranged to bemoved to move the other pin by the pressure of a springpressed lever 34.out of action by a detent or pawl 35, arranged to be rocked to releasethe lever when struck by an arm 36, projecting forwardly from the Thislever is normally held carrier-arm a, as the carrier reaches its forwardposition in feeding the fabric below the clamps and knife. Immediatelybelow the pin 33 is mounted a ball 37, arranged to protrude in thedownward path of the knife-carrier to insure the loose pin 31 couplingthe knife to the reciprocating rod, and which ball is held outwardly bythe pressure of the lever 34 upon a pin 38, bearing against the ballwhen said lever is released.

The inner and outer clamps 24 25 are of similar construction, onecoacting with the end of the table I) to clamp the fabric in'the rear ofthe knife and the other with a fixed curved-faced bar 39 forward of theknife. Each clamp is carried by a pair of vertical spring-pressed rods40, guided in suitable bearings of the machine, the springs tending toforcibly lower the clamps when the latter are released to clamp thefabric. Both clamps are released by the action of a pair of in clines 4142, formed on a finger 43, carried by the carrier and operable torelease the clamps at the moment the carrier reaches itsforwardposition. The bearing for one guide-rod of each clamp is slotted topermit the clamp to rock very slightly horizontally against the pull ofa spring 53, the other bearings forming a pivot for the other guide-rodof each clamp to permit this movement. The outer clampis engaged, movedupward, and held upward until released by a projection 44 on one side ofthe knife-carrier, while the inner clamp is held in its up positionuntil released by a projection 45 on the end of one of thecarrier-guides. The rearward clamp 24 is raised to itsup position by aconnection with the screw shaft y. (See Figs. 13, 14, and 15.) The shaftcarries at its end a ratchet 46, engaged by a pair of pawls 47, carriedby a hub 48, loose on the shaft, but through the ratchet and pawlscoupled with the shaft in one direction of rotation thereof. This hubcarries a suitablyshaped cam 49 and a yielding projection 50, mountedjust beyond the high part of the cam, engaging a friction-roll 51 on oneof the guide-rods of the inner clamp to lift the clamp to its upposition, where it will be supported by the projection 45. To limit theposition of the hub, a projection thereon is met by a gravitating pin52.

A further description of the timely operation of the various parts ofthe machine is needless in view of what has been described.

his to be understood that while I have shown and described a specificembodiment of the improvements in an organized and practically operativemachine the details of such embodiment may be variously modified withoutefiecting the scope hereof.

What I claim is s 1. The combination with a' reciprocab'lefabric-feeder, of a fabric-severing device, inner and outer clampsarranged on opposite sides of said device, means for causing the clampsto operate in succession to clamp the fabric and other means forreleasing the clamps, as described.

2. The combination with a reciprocable fabric-feeder, of afabric-severing device, inner and outer clamps arranged on oppositesides of said device, a fabric-feeder, means carried by the feeder tocause the clamps to operate in succession, and other means for releasingthe clamps, as described.

3. The combination of a fabric-severin g device, a spring-impelledfabric-clam p, a vertically-movable support for the clamp to move andhold the clamp out of action, and means for moving the clamp from thesupport to permit its clamping operation, as described.

4:. The combination of a fabric-severing device, a spring-impelledfabric-clamp, a support for the clamp movable with the severing deviceto move and hold the clamp out of action, and means for moving the clampfrom the support to permit its clamping operation, as described.

5. The combination of a fabric-severing device, a spring-impelledfabric-clamp, a support for the clamp, movable with the severing deviceto move and hold the clamp out of action, means for moving the clampfrom said support to allow it to operate, and a cam for moving the clampto be again engaged by the support, as described.

6.- The combination of a fabric-severing device, a spring-impelledfabric-clamp, a supcarrier therefor mounted in vertical guides,

as described.

9. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder having avertically-moving jaw, vertical guides for the latter, a pressure-roll,a lever for moving the jaw and roll and a spring interposed between thelever and roll, as described.

10. The combination ofa severing device, a fabric-feeder, meansincluding a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocating the feeder and meansfor automatically determining the limit of movement of the feeder ineither direction, as described.

11. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, meansincluding a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocating the feeder and meansfor varying the limit of rearward movement of the feeder withouteffecting the limit of its forward movement as described.

12. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, meansincluding a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocating the feeder, means fordetermining the limit of the rearward movement of the feeder, and meansfor suspending the operation of the said limiting means, as described.

13. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, meansincluding a screw-shaft and not for reciprocating the feeder, andautomatic means including pawl and stop devices operable upon theabsence of fabric to be fed for stopping the reciprocation of thefeeder, as described.

14. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder having a nut,a screw-shaft engaging said nut, a pair of oppositely-rotating loosepulleys onsaid shaft, a clutch for clutching either pulley to the shaft,and a clutchshaft having stops engaged by a suitable abutment on thecarrier, as described.

15. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, meansincluding a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocatingthe feeder, a pair ofpulleys and a clutch for reversing the reciprocating movements of thefeeder, means operable by the feeder for operating the clutch andautomatic means for stopping the movement of the feeder at its rearwardposition, as described.

16. The combination of a severing device, a reciprocative fabric-feederand an underlying carrying-belt reciprocative concurrently with saidfeeder, as described.

17. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, an underlyingcarrying-belt stretched around rolls and the opposite ends of the beltattached to the feeder, as described.

18. The combination of a vertically-movable knife, a fabric-feeder, aconstantly-reciprocated rod and means operable by the feeder forintermittently connecting the rod to the knife, as described.

19. The combination of a vertically-reciprocated knife,a fabric-feeder,arotating shaft, a reciprocated rod connected to said shaft, and meansincluding a spring-actuated member for connecting said rod with theknife, a device to maintain said member retracted and the rod and knifethereby disconnected, and means operable by the feeder for tripping saiddevice to release the said member, as described.

20. In a fabric-cutting machine, the combination with driving mechanism,stopping mechanism therefor, a severing device, and means for operatingsaid device, of a fabricfeeder, means for reciprocating said feeder, andautomatic means on said feeder operable to actuate said stoppingmechanism upon the absence of fabric to be fed, substantially asdescribed.

21. In a fabric-cutting machine, the combination with driving mechanism,stopping mechanism'therefor, a severing device, and

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of 10 two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ALLEN HEANY.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. GRAHAM, HARRY FATTORMAYER.

